Episode 8 the story behind
by apple6
Summary: After seeing episode 8 I started wondering what had gone wrong in the planning....


The Skins writng group – early November 2009. Exec. Producer Andrew Little, Bryan Elsley, Jamie Brittain and an assortment of young writers.

A.L. taps his coffee cup with his spoon and speaks as the chattering dies away.

'OK, so we need to get on with 8 – Kyle keeps texting me about track ideas and wants to know when he'll get a draft script – Christ he'll soon be nagging me about 9 and 10 soon.'

The silence that followed was only broken by JB coughing quietly, head down towards the table. He did not look up.

Jess Finch broke the silence – looking across the table at BE. 'Err – I think I'm a bit lost on this one – probably haven't been paying attention – sorry.'

'What's going on?' AL said.

'You're not fucking serious are you Andy?' Bryan's angry tone was tinged with contempt. 'You're not joking are you?' he said, seeing AL's bewildered look.

'I don't follow………' AL looked across the table at the embarrassed faces.

'This is all starting to make sense now' said Bryan. 'All that stuff at the last two meetings about extending scenes and not giving away too many answers – you fucking thought that there were ten eps didn't you! How could you believe that – I sent you all those planning meeting memos when you were in Barbados – didn't you read them?'

Obviously not – if anyone could you look embarrassed without actually turning red it was Andrew Little.

'Jesus fucking Christ we've got one episode left to sort out a million things and you thought we had three. Why did you think I was so mad at you when you overruled me so many times on those scenes?'

If there's a word beyond exasperated then that was what Bryan was at that moment.

'Look I'm going to have to call a time-out on this one – sorry, although I don't know why I'm apologising – ten minutes everyone please.'

Small groups gathered near the coffee machine – there was none of the usual laughter that usually went with such gatherings - only quiet murmurings and nervous glances around the foyer.

Back at the meeting it was Bryan who was obviously now in charge.

'OK, - so actually this doesn't change anything – most of us' and here Bryan Elsley was determined not to be in any way triumphalist, 'knew this was the last episode and have probably had very little sleep recently worrying about how the fuck we were going to wrap up the series in one episode.'

'Right we need to get on – ideas please – and remember timings are key here – although it's down as 10 – 11:05 it's still only 44 minutes running time as Adidas have paid big bucks for the first slot – anyway it pays the bills even though it is crap.'

'Jess, you were braining up on JJ weren't you – what've you got?'

'Well he's really wrapped up already – that's a plus – I thought he could bring that baby to a group scene – say little or nothing and not have Lara in it, otherwise that would make a subscene necessary and we've not got time for that – so basically zero minutes for JJ.'

'Brilliant Jess, I'm feeling better already.'

'Are we all agreed we haven't got running time for Freddie to reappear as we originally planned – much as we'd like to see Luke around – eh girls?'

Will Bayliss raised a hand nervously – 'could I say something please?'

'Yeah Will, go on.'

'I think we should leave Freddie's fate as ambiguous –after all Jack's been looking at a film script and if Luke isn't in it we'll be well down at the box office.

'Good point Will – all agreed?'

'Maybe just bloodstained clothes and no body.'

'Good – now what about Effy?'

'Sam you were on that one weren't you?'

'Well we wasted so much time on her in Ep 7 – I don't see how we can resolve all the issues around her – so why don't we just leave her as an enigma, as she's always been. I suggest a hospital scene with Pandora and Katie – make it meaningless and then gradually fade her out – people can make up their own minds about her. After all she's been eclipsed by Naomily – does anyone really care about her any more – especially since Freddie's not around any more. Say six minutes max.'

'That's good stuff,' Bryan was looking far more cheerful now – especially since Andrew Little had crept out of the room and not reappeared.

'OK, Thomas and Pandora.'

'Val, that's yours – right?'

'Yeah, I thought we could have a happy ending here - after a bit of Thomas/Katie stuff halfway through. I thought Thomas could be revealed as a phenomenal runner- after all he is…..

Her voice trailed away as she realised that all eyes had suddenly turned on her.

'Look this is teenage stuff – they won't get stereotypes – and we can take down any comments on the site, as and when.'

'What does everyone think?' Bryan looked around the room. Murmurs of agreement answered his question.

'So' continued Val, 'Pandora's going to Harvard – I think it's a good choice - most kids won't know it's Ivy League – but will have at least heard the name – she'll do history. I know she's really more East Lancs Poly – but hey this is Skins not Panorama. Blank looks greeted this last remark but

there was no dissention. 'So Thomas and Pandora off to America.'

' Now, Naomily – I did this one. I want a big scene of reconciliation – everyone's expecting this. But there's a twist. We'll accidentally leak a clip of the scene before the live broadcast but withdraw it so it ends up on youtube – then we'll pull that and the whole thing will be a 'will they or won't they ' hyped up thing. This will get the fans gagging for the last episode – right?'

'Amazing!' Jamie actually looked amazed.

'What about Cook – who's doing that?'

'I was' said Emma Brownlow, 'I've thought a lot about this one. Skins has a reputation for the unexpected- right? So – we do the unexpected. Cook will find Freddie's attacker – but we'll leave it completely uncertain as to what happens - and the rest of the characters will have no idea as to what happenseither. Normally we have satisfying conclusions – but this time it's different! We could do it in – say – 8 minutes. How's that?'

There was a definite air of optimism in the room - no one noticed the muted 'What about Katie that Simon asked. Bryan looked to wind things up.

'Right – OK – who was down to write this ep then?'

'Err, you were Bryan- so I'm afraid any shit will be flying in your direction – Andy's probably at the airport by now.'

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